Sunday, May 15, 2005

El Pie Es En La Boca

President Vincente Fox of Mexico is trying furiously to backpedal from outrageous statements that illegal immigrants will do work "that even blacks don't want to do".

His office says now, that he was misunderstood. He was merely trying to demonstrate that (illegal) immigrants play a vital role in the US economy.

I think he could make that argument without reference to blacks. I think he looked on a roomful of whites and Hispanics, and shoved his foot in his mouth.

Of course illegal immigrants will illegally work for illegally low wages and illegally unsafe conditions in a manner that no citizen would consider for a moment. That is certainly true; but if that illegal labor pool were not a short drive away, employers would have to offer minimum wage and regular hours, which citizens--of all ethnicities--would consider taking on.

I'm surprised to see the Left taking this on. Rev. Jesse Jackson has condemned Fox's remarks, instead of pretending they were never uttered. CNN ran audience polls on these remarks, instead of dropping them down the memory hole.

I think the traditional Left--the union, blue-collar worker--realizes that illegal immigration is anything but unskilled labor, and permitting a few dozen million more violators will sink all manner of union trades.

Rush Limbaugh has been saying for some time that smart Democrats are positioning themselves against illegal immigration, even as the GOP leadership tries to legitimize it. I think he's onto something, which the GOP leadership had better take note.